Grave vault



Oct. 19, 1954 F. c. LOGE 2,691,808

GRAVE VAULT Filed Aug. 5, 1953 2 Sheets-Sheet l Fran/r Clogs. 65 INVENToR.

www@ Mw Y Oct. 19, 1954 F, C, LOGE 2,691,808

GRAVE VAULT a Filed Aug. 3, 1953 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Fig.3

Fran/f Clogs.

IN VEN TOR.

Patented Oct. 19, 1954 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE GRAVE VAULT Frank C. Loge, Evansville, Ind.

Application August 3, 1953, Serial No. 371,865

6 Claims. l

My invention relates to improvements in grave vaults for burial caskets.

The primary object of my invention is to provide in such vaults an improved base for the hood of the vault, and simplied reliable means for latching the hood of the vault to the base when the hood is lowered over the base.

Another object is to provide in such vaults, means for preventing the sides of the hood from spreading apart while the vault is being carried `by pallbearers.

Still another' object is to provide in such vaults eilicient, durable waterand insect-proof sealing means between the hood and base.,

Still another object is to provide for accomplishing the above Without appreciably increasing the cost of manufacture of the vault.

Other and surbordinate objects, together with the precise nature of my improvements, will become readily apparent when the succeeding description and claims are read with reference to the drawings accompanying and forming part of this specification.

In said drawings:

Figure l is a view in perspective of a grave vault embodying my improvements;

Figure 2 is a view in bottom p-lan of the hood;

Figure 3 is an enlarged fragmentary view in bottom plan, partly broken away, of the base;

Figure 4 is an enlarged view in vertical transverse section taken on the line 4-4 of Figure 1;

Figure 5 is a further enlarged fragmentary View in vertical transverse section taken on the same line as Figure 4; and,

Figure 6 is a fragmentary view in vertical longitudinal section taken on the line 6--3 of Figure 5.

Referring to the drawings by numerals, in the vault I, with which my improvements are especially concerned, the hood 3, with the exceptions presently noted, is of the usual rectangular open bottom type with side and end walls 5, 1 and handles 9 on plates I I spaced along the side walls 5 and secured thereto by welding, not shown. According to my invention, the bottom edges of the hood 3 are reinforced on the outside of the hood by metal strips I3 extending along the side and end walls 5, 1 and suitably secured thereto.

The base I5 embodying my improvements is rectangular, hollow, open at its bottom, formed with side, end and top walls, I1, I9, 2|, and fits in the bottom of the hood 3 so that said hood 3 may be lowered to slide downwardly over said base I5.

Triangular plates 23 are suitably attached to Intermediate the transverse center and ends thereof, the base I5 is provided with a pair of subjacent transverse brace bars 25, 25 suitably secured to the top wall 2| and having down-v wardly offset, horizontal end portions 21, 28 above the bottom of the triangular plates 23 and which extend outwardly under the side walls I1 of the base I5 and seat thereon at the bottom edges of the side walls 5 of the hood 3, also the bottom edges of the side walls I1 of said base. The brace bars 25, 26, or in other words, the end portions 21, 23, terminate in pairs of laterally spaced upstanding keeper lugs 29, 3|) straddling and securing together the bottom edges of the side walls 5, |1 at opposite sides of the base I5 to thereby prevent said side walls 5 from spreadingy apart outwardly under outward pull thereon when the vault I is being carried by the handles 9.

The latching means comprises a pair of latch bolts 3|, 33 mounted transversely in the b-ase I5 in pairs and at opposite sides thereof and along side the brace bars 25, 26 to be projected outwardly through apertures 23', 28 in the side walls 5, I1 which apertures register when the hood 3 is seated in the manner described on the end portions 21, 23. The latch bolts 3|, 33 are slidably mounted in pairs of spaced guides 35, 31 depending from and welded, as at 39, to pairs of mounting plates Il-I, 43 suitably secured to the top wall 2| of the base |5 at opposite sides of said base.

Pairs of coil springs 45, 41 on the pairs of latch bolts 3|, 33 between the guides 35, 31 of the pairs of guides bear against stop pins 49 in said bolts 3|, 33 and urge said bolts outwardly to project the same into locking position, as shown in Figures 3 and 5. Pairs of chains 5|, 52 connect the pairs of latch bolts 3|, 33 to crank arms 53, 55 on a longitudinal rock shaft 51 mounted in the base I 5 and depending lugs 53., 6| on the top wall 2| welded, as at S2, thereto, the arrangement being such that by rocking said shaft 51 in one direction, the chains 5|, 53 will retract the latch bolts 3|, 33 in opposition to the springs 45, 41 to hold said bolts in unlocking position. A short hand crank 53 on one end of the rock shaft 51 provides for manually rocking the same.

Open bottomed side boxes are provided on the lower portions of the side walls 5 of the hood 3 to cover the outer ends of the latch bolts 3|, 33, the keeper lugs 23 and the apertures 26.

The sealing means between the hood 3 and 33 retracted into unlatching position by rocking;y

0f the rock shaft 51, in the manner already VAdescribed, the hood 3 is lowered over the base l5"M until the bottom edges of the side Walls 5 Seaton..

the end portions 21, 28 of the brace bars 25, 26

and are interposed between the side walls; l1' of-v` the base I5 and the outer most keeper lugs of the pairs 29, 30, and thefsealing frame il seats onthe top .Wall12lof .the.base,.i5. `The rock shaft 51.` is then released, whereupon, A,the latch' bolts 3 |.,..33.1wll Kbe. projected to `enter. the apertures 26', 28 to lockthe hood 3 downen the base vl5 in :tightly .sealed position. i

Itis .tobenotedthatthe frame S'l'serves as areinforcernent holding the bottompart of the hood f3 in shape toprovideH a perfect seal around thesealingvframefll.

The foregoingwill, it is .believedsumc.e to ima part a clearunderstandingof my invention, with-Y out further. explanation..

Manifestly, .the invention issusceptible-oi modi-1 fication,..without `departing from ,the inventive concept,..and rightis., herein. reserved. to such modifications. as fallwithin Ythe-scope ot theine.

vention as disclosed herein.

Having described my invention, what is claimed as ,new ispo l. .Agravevault comprisinga rectangular, hol'- low-open bottomV base havingsidewalls vand, a top wall, anopenbottom hood litting downwardly' oversaid4 base.` andr having side walls, sealing means in saidhood seating cnsaidtop Wall under the .weightof `the hood, a pairofsubjacent trans:

Verse cross bars on said base upon opposite sides of its transverse center having downwardly offset end portions underlying the bottom edges of the side Walls of the base and seating thereon the bottom edges of the side walls of the hood, terminal means on said oiset portions straddling the bottom edges of the side walls of the base and hood at opposite sides of the vault, and means in said base. and the` sidewalls of. said-f hood and base coacting to latch said `hood against upward movement relative to said base.

2. A grave vault according to claim 1 said sealing means comprising a lateral rectangular frame rigidly secured to said hood, and a rectangular resilient-frame lunderlying and xed to said firstnamed frame.

3. A graveA vault according to claim l, said terminal means comprising pairs of laterally spaced upstandin'g lugs.

4. A grave vault according to claim 1, said last named means `comprising sliding `latch bolts 'in said base spring loaded for projection into latch# ing positiomand registering apertures in the side walls of the basek and hood for receiving the pro-- jected latch bolts.

5. A grave vaultraccordingto claim 4, said latch bolts being positioned alcngsidesaidv bars,"\

and external boxes on the side Walls of said-hood for hiding said bolts from View.

6. 'A grave'vault according to claiml l, said last means comprising sliding latch bolts'l in said `base spring loaded for projection into latching 'position, and a rock shaft in said base' operatively; connected to said' bolts to hold the same againstV4 projection.

References Cited in the file of this'patent UNITED 'STATES' 'PATENTS' Number Name Date,-

1,856,309v Bisantzl s May-3, K1932 1,884,201 Phillippe Octp25, 1932 2,188,525 Bisantz Jan. 30,1940 2,223,760 Haaser Dec; 3, .1940 

